Has anybody actually pooped their pants on a bad run?

Ok, let's face it, we're all marathoners here (or soon to be) so we have all run enough where you've experienced the dreaded stomach-drop and ensuing panic of needing to go - like NOW - while on a run. Whether you ate something bad or had a stomach bug, it's happened...

I had one of "those" runs this morning. It was a scary close incident. I was nowhere close to a gas station or fast food place with a convenient bathroom, and 2 miles from my apartment. Luckily I knew there were some houses undergoing renovation one street over so I ducked across & lucked out with a construction porta-potty.

But it got me thinking (and laughing): Have you ever had the unfortunate experience of letting it all go on a run? Maybe you just weren't close to a bathroom but also weren't secluded enough in "nature" to duck behind a tree (I thought this was going to be my unfortunate fate this morning!). Or maybe you were so sick that it came on too quick. I don't know, but seriously, has it ever gone all the way for anybody?

Ok, let's face it, we're all marathoners here (or soon to be) so we have all run enough where you've experienced the dreaded stomach-drop and ensuing panic of needing to go - like NOW - while on a run.

I have actually never had that issue.

Running doesn't bother my stomach, never has.

I also really hope no one posts that dreaded picture of the guy crapping his pants!!!

Close calls? Yep a couple. But nothing worse (so far!) I, too, have been saved by a porta potty at a construction site. I also had to change my route to get to a park in the general vicinity and pray it was unlocked (it was.).

Close call? Oh, you bettcha, couple years ago at the top of an 8-mile hill climb, which was only half-way through my run. I still had to run 8 miles back down the hill. I was extremely fortunate that the owner of the defunct tourist gift-shop at the top of the grade just happened to be present in his parking lot at the time, and was so very kind as to let me use his facilities. Let's just say I walked out of there 3-4 lbs lighter than I went in, and I only weigh 134 to begin with... I should have apologized to the owner for what happened in there, but I was too embarrassed . . .

Lesson learned: NEVER eat bagels and stuff right before embarking on a 17-mile run with no publicly available facilities along the way!

It nearly happened to me once...I didn't actually poop my pants, but it was a close call. I pulled over and did a Paula style squat and used my Nike Elite socks to wipe with. Pretty gutted at the time as those socks aren't cheap.

What I don't understand is how this can happen to someone more than once. I mean, you know you have a 30K training run on the schedule - what's so hard about planning your meals accordingly? Once you've been at this for a while, you really have no one to blame but yourself.

What I don't understand is how this can happen to someone more than once. I mean, you know you have a 30K training run on the schedule - what's so hard about planning your meals accordingly? Once you've been at this for a while, you really have no one to blame but yourself.

That's pretty harsh, Noga, and I don't agree. **** happens, and things don't always go according to the best-laid plans. I doubt anyone's guts cooperate perfectly with their running schedule 100% of the time; mine certainly don't. 99%, maybe, but there's always the chance for an unforeseen event cropping up. And personally I find it impossible to get every single detail absolutely right, every single time I run.

Noga -really? You apparently don't struggle with this, but there have been many times I have eaten everything I'm supposed to and still had issues. Some of us just have sensitive stomachs, and it acts up sometimes. Wtf am I supposed to do when I get out at 5 am, having not eaten any fiber the night before, and I don't eat anything before a morning run.. The best I've been able to do is make sure there are some 7-11s on the the route. It's somewhat irritating when those of us that don't struggle with GI issues assume it's a really easy fix.

Noga -really? You apparently don't struggle with this, but there have been many times I have eaten everything I'm supposed to and still had issues. Some of us just have sensitive stomachs, and it acts up sometimes. Wtf am I supposed to do when I get out at 5 am, having not eaten any fiber the night before, and I don't eat anything before a morning run.. The best I've been able to do is make sure there are some 7-11s on the the route. It's somewhat irritating when those of us that don't struggle with GI issues assume it's a really easy fix.

What I don't understand is how this can happen to someone more than once. I mean, you know you have a 30K training run on the schedule - what's so hard about planning your meals accordingly? Once you've been at this for a while, you really have no one to blame but yourself.

+1 to KK. It is not as simple as planning meals, especially when one has a cranky gut.

I admit I too would have been less sympathetic three or four years ago, but perimenopause has seriously played havoc on my body. It doesn't matter what I eat the night before or if I hit the bathroom before heading out.

What I don't understand is how this can happen to someone more than once. I mean, you know you have a 30K training run on the schedule - what's so hard about planning your meals accordingly? Once you've been at this for a while, you really have no one to blame but yourself.

Your experience is not necessarily everyone else's experience. That applies to this thread and most others upon which I've seen you comment.

Haha... yes, Noga would think that anyone who can't exercise complete control over their digestive system at all times is simply not trying hard enough. That's hilarious.

Though I have never pooped myself while running, I did have a right-on-the-edge experience during a half marathon a few years back, where I was too stubborn to stop and use a porta potty. I booked it to the convention center restroom as soon as I crossed the finish, and ended up in a stall that was out of toilet paper.

I always go before I leave home but running always shakes more out of me.Ive also had a MattM incident gravel road in the country but used leaves.....

I have a park bathroom about a mile from my house I stop at nearly every run for a poop. It doesn't matter if I go at home or what I eat. For races I always do a two or so mile warmup to make sure I can clear things out.

For those of you who have suffered this utterly miserable experience, have you takent the trouble to actually figure out what the source of the problem is? If so, what steps have you taken to overcome it? Have you altered your diets? Your training schedules? Or do you just accept it as your lot in life?

For those of you who have suffered this utterly miserable experience, have you takent the trouble to actually figure out what the source of the problem is? If so, what steps have you taken to overcome it? Have you altered your diets? Your training schedules? Or do you just accept it as your lot in life?

Honey, if I'm served a delicious curry the night before a long run then I'll take my chances and eat it and hope that my running pants don't suffer the next morning.

However, I do make an effort not to eat curry the day before a marathon.

I went through a couple of trials to see if I was intolerant of dairy, but no conclusive results. I'm afraid that I'm going to have to do a gluten-free trial and not looking forward to it, because I loves me my bread. I've got a doctor's appointment tomorrow actually.

What I don't understand is how this can happen to someone more than once. I mean, you know you have a 30K training run on the schedule - what's so hard about planning your meals accordingly? Once you've been at this for a while, you really have no one to blame but yourself.

How about planning our GI system movements? Tell it not to work on such and such a day because you have to go for a run? That comment was unbelievable! You do realise it doesn't just happen because of what you eat. Heck, one day you might have 3 bowel movements so the next morning you are 'clear,' but then the following week you may have had slightly less so you are 'loaded.' Even though while exercising blood flow to the GI tract decreases, running does get things moving - have you not heard of exercise to help constipation?

I never have as I seem to have an iron stomach. I can't really even recall a run with anything more than a very mild stomach distress.

I paced two people to their BQ at Chicago in 2005. We were running along and I'm starting to smell this bad smell at around mile 14 or so, wrinkled my nose and thought "dammm, glad that's not me'. After a couple miles of smelling this I started looking for whoever it was so we could avoid that person. Turns out to be one of the people I'm pacing! When I saw it I felt so bad for her. I started running way up ahead and getting water cups for her to dump on herself to try to clean off her legs and shorts some. It got a little better but her shorts were obviously messed up. I took off my shirt and gave it to her to wrap around her waist to hide it some. She was a trooper though, she did hit that galdurn BQ and had a great time at Boston! I did not ask for my shirt back! She was so embarrassed afterwards but I think it was worth it for her.

I've never had any GI issues before. However, there was this one time that was absolutely epic. I had an afternoon 12 mile run, My wife rarely bought watermelon and it was hot. She cut it into pieces and I ate a bunch. Two miles into the run, my stomach started to make noises, so unusual that I knew I was in trouble. I was in a park near a tennis center. Unfortunately, that was Sunday afternoon and the center was already closed. Well, let me just say I had to relieve myself at the back of the center, everything came out in a second, leaving something like the picture below on the ground. I forgot what I used to wipe my butt....

I feel like I am in the minority here, but, yes, I have crapped my pants during a run and I have had many more close calls. I was pretty new to running the two times I actually soiled my Frank Shorters. I guess it took me a while to recognize the warning signs. I didn't realize it could go from "somewhat uncomfortable" to "way too late to find a potty" in such a short period of time. I'd like to say this has become less of an issue as I gain running experience, but it really hasn't. I just know the warning signs and I know where to find construction portajohns or bushes. There are not many stores along my runs, so if I have to go, it's usually in the bushes.

I have never had this issue in a race. This is party because I am meticulous about my diet before a race, but also because races are in the morning. I tend to have had the most intestinal distress when running in the afternoon or evening. During marathon training, there were times when I knew I would have to go in the middle of the run and I ran anyway. I did this because I didn't have time to spend another 30 minutes on the pot waiting for things to happen. I just packed some TP and planned to stop somewhere along the way. In the general scheme of things, there are much worse things that can happen - like missing a run or having to cut it short.

For those of you who have suffered this utterly miserable experience, have you takent the trouble to actually figure out what the source of the problem is? If so, what steps have you taken to overcome it? Have you altered your diets? Your training schedules? Or do you just accept it as your lot in life?

You have got to be kidding. We are talking emergency situations here...not an everyday occurrence. Given this silly reaction I would say you have crapped in your pants and it has damaged you.

Noga makes it sound as if this is a regular occurrence and we're too ignorant to figure out why it happens all the time. Thanks for treating us like we're morons.

I had a pretty close call once. I went for a tempo run after work (and I always take care of business beforehand) in a park. I run here all the time. My tempo went swimmingly but the moment I stopped my stomach went foul. I quickly realized that the two nearest bathrooms were locked and the closest open bathroom was roughly a half mile away. So I decided to start my shuffle and quickly realized there was no way I was going to make it. Even walking was making it worse. It came on so fast. I quickly had the internal conversation about what was going to happen if I crapped my pants and would it be okay. Then I had an idea. I could walk down to the sand in the dark and do my business behind a rock and bury it (hopefully no one would see me) and that's what I did. Then I shuffled to the bathroom for cleanup. On the bright side... I got over my fear of doing my business outside.